Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results in poor reading proficiency due to atypical neurobiological attributes. Despite many opportunities to learn, the most treatment resistant cases of DD can still have severe reading problems that persist into adulthood. The current manuscript presents methodology and preliminary results for a study which aims to assess the impact of a combined accelerated theta burst stimulation (aTBS) and individualized reading instruction paradigm to improve reading outcomes in young adults with persistent DD. This multiple baseline, single-subject design assesses the effectiveness of combining aTBS and reading instruction for the treatment of DD. The current study took place over 5 cohorts with 2–4 participants per cohort. Each cohort participated in 10 nonconsecutive treatment days over five weeks, with two to three treatment days per week, each with two treatment sessions per day (20 sessions). Treatment days consisted of two sessions that included an aTBS session immediately followed by a one-on-one 30-min reading intervention administered by a trained reading specialist. Preliminary results indicate that combined aTBS and reading instruction improves oral reading fluency and accuracy above reading intervention alone. Additionally, functional neuroimaging results suggest that combined treatment has differing impact on brain regions supporting reading compared to instruction alone. The current study design provides promising preliminary support for the use of combined brain stimulation and behavioral instruction to improve reading outcomes for young adults with persistent DD.
Arrington et al. (Fri,) studied this question.